Travis Fisher coahced Nebraska's defensive backs for five seasons from 2018 to 2022. Fisher entered the coaching ranks following a nine-year NFL career.
Fisher’s defensive backs consistently held opposing passing attacks in check while showing a knack for interceptions. After inheriting a Husker secondary that allowed more than 275 passing yards per game in 2017, Fisher helped Nebraska hold five opponents to fewer than 200 passing yards in 2018.
NU held six opponents to fewer than 165 passing yards in 2019, when the Huskers ranked No. 33 nationally in pass efficiency defense. On the strength of a veteran secondary, the 2020 Blackshirts continued to improve and finished sixth in the Big Ten in total defense. The 2021 Husker defense allowed its fewest points per game in 11 seasons, and posted its best total defense mark in five years and in 2022, Nebraska limited six of its 12 opponents to fewer than 180 passing yards. Fisher led UCF to a No. 12 ranking in pass efficiency defense in 2016, and the Knights ranked second nationally with 20 interceptions in 2017.
Fisher excelled developing individual talent. Nine of his defensive backs have signed NFL contracts from 2018 to 2022. In just one year, Fisher turned junior college transfer Mike Hughes into an All-American and first-round NFL Draft pick. Hughes was selected with the 30th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, surpassing Fisher as the highest-drafted defensive player in UCF history. Fisher was selected in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft following three seasons as a Knight.
Nebraska (2018-22)
Fisher made an instant impact on the Husker secondary in his first season in 2018, when Nebraska produced impressive results as a team and individually. NU ranked 34th nationally in pass efficiency defense in 2018, a 61-spot improvement from 2017. Dicaprio Bootle shined under Fisher’s guidance in 2018, earning All-Big Ten accolades. Bootle set career highs in every category and led the Big Ten and ranked ninth nationally with 15 pass breakups, the second-highest total in school history. At the opposite corner spot, Lamar Jackson posted his best season as a Husker, intercepting the first two passes of his career, breaking up a career-high seven passes and recording the first tackle for loss and forced fumble of his career.
Each of Nebraska’s four primary safeties had at least one interception and one fumble forced or recovered in 2018. All told, Fisher’s secondary recorded eight interceptions, forced 10 fumbles and had four fumble recoveries, helping Nebraska post its highest turnover total in four seasons. The secondary also combined for 41 pass breakups, helping Nebraska rank ninth in school history with 58 total pass breakups.
In 2019, Nebraska held six of its 12 opponents to fewer than 165 yards passing, including four opponents under 100 yards. Nebraska again ranked in the top 35 nationally in pass efficiency defense, and the Huskers were 11th nationally with two interception returns for touchdowns. Individually, Lamar Jackson ranked in the top 15 nationally in pass breakups and passes defended, while Cam Taylor-Britt - in just his second season playing defense - ranked fifth in the country with four forced fumbles, the most by a Husker since 1999. Jackson and Taylor-Britt also tied for the team lead with three interceptions.
Under Fisher’s guidance, three of Nebraska’s four secondary starters were All-Big Ten selections. Bootle earned All-Big Ten accolades for the second straight season, with Jackson and Taylor-Britt earning all-conference recognition for the first time.
Fisher’s veteran secondary again shined in 2020. Each of the four starters in the secondary earned all-conference recognition. Bootle completed his Husker career as a three-time All-Big Ten honoree, finishing in ninth place in Nebraska history in career breakups. Taylor-Britt earned second-team all-conference honors and once again showed his play-making ability with two interceptions, four breakups and 28 tackles. The hard-hitting safety duo of Marquel Dismuke and Deontai Williams combined for 98 tackles, eight tackles for loss and eight pass breakups.
In 2021, Fisher’s experienced secondary helped Nebraska hold opponents to 22.7 points per game despite playing a schedule that featured eight teams that won at least nine games. Individually, three Husker veterans earned all-conference honors, including Taylor-Britt who was a second-team All-Big Ten pick and a second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Senior safeties Williams and Dismuke were honorable-mention selections. Williams led the Nebraska defense with four interceptions, while Dismuke finished his career as one of eight Nebraska defensive backs with 200 career tackles.
In 2022, Fisher's secondary helped Nebraska rank 44th nationally in passing efficiency defense. The Huskers held six of their 12 opponents to fewer than 180 passing yards. Nebraska allowed only 147.0 passing yards per game over its final five contests, including allowing only eight completions and 83 passing yards against Wisconsin. Quinton Newsome was an honorable-mention All-Big Ten selection, while true freshman Malcolm Hartzog started seven games at cornerback and had three interceptions.
Before Nebraska
UCF: At his alma mater, Fisher helped turn the UCF defense into one of the top units in the American Athletic Conference. Fisher’s defensive backs were a big reason why the Knights were able to record 58 takeaways and score nine defensive touchdowns in 2016 and 2017. UCF ranked third nationally in takeaways over the 2016 and 2017 seasons combined, and the Knights ranked fifth with 35 interceptions, including 26 from Fisher’s defensive backs. In 2017, UCF led the AAC and was second nationally in interceptions.
In 2017, Fisher’s unit helped UCF go 13-0 as the nation's only undefeated team while posting the first perfect season in school and American Athletic Conference history. The Knights led the league in interceptions and defensive touchdowns and ranked third in scoring defense and pass efficiency defense. UCF’s 20 interceptions not only led the conference but ranked fifth nationally, with 15 of the interceptions by Fisher’s defensive backs, two of which were returned for touchdowns.
One of those interceptions was a game-ending pick by Tre Neal - who followed Fisher to Nebraska as a graduate transfer in 2018 - in the second overtime of the American Athletic Conference Championship win over No. 16 Memphis. Another was an interception by Antwan Collier with 24 seconds remaining that sealed the Knights' Peach Bowl win over No. 7 Auburn. Cornerback Mike Hughes and safety Kyle Gibson were both first-team all-conference selections and both players ranked in the top 25 nationally in interceptions. Hughes, a first-year junior college transfer, went on to earn second-team All-America honors before being a first-round selection in the 2018 NFL Draft, eclipsing Fisher as the highest-drafted defensive back in UCF history.
The production of Fisher’s defensive backs in 2017 came after five defensive backs from the 2016 roster signed NFL contracts following the season, including third-round draft pick Shaquill Griffin.
Led by Griffin, Fisher’s defensive backs played a big role in UCF’s 2016 season, when the Knights were the nation’s most-improved team. UCF posted the top pass efficiency defense in the American Athletic Conference and the 12th-best mark nationally, while the defensive backs totaled 12 of the Knights’ 15 interceptions – a total that ranked 22nd nationally. The group also returned four interceptions for touchdowns, helping UCF rank third nationally with five defensive touchdowns. Individually, Griffin led the AAC and was fifth nationally with 1.5 passes defended per game, and his 15 pass breakups in 2017 and 36 career breakups were both the second-most in UCF history. Drico Johnson also set a school record by becoming the first UCF player to score two defensive touchdowns in one game, accomplishing the feat against Tulane.
A former Knight cornerback, Fisher also spent the 2015 season at UCF, where he coached the cornerbacks in his first season as an FBS assistant. He began his coaching career as a defensive quality assistant with UCF in 2013, when the Knights went 12-1 and finished with a No. 10 ranking after defeating Baylor in the Fiesta Bowl.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE: Fisher's first full-time coaching job came as the cornerbacks coach at Southeast Missouri State in 2014.
Playing Career (UCF & NFL)
As a player, Fisher totaled 130 tackles with the Knights from 1999 to 2001. He was selected in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft with the 64th overall pick by the St. Louis Rams. Fisher had been the highest drafted defensive back in UCF history before his pupil Mike Hughes was selected in the first round with the 30th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. Fisher went on to spend nine seasons in the NFL and led the NFL with two interception returns for touchdowns and 205 interception return yards in 2003.
Personal
Fisher graduated from UCF with a degree in criminal justice in 2001, and he is married to Frenchie Fisher. He has five children: Taliyah Fisher, Aria Fisher, Travis Fisher, Jr., Taelor Barnes and Triston Barnes.
Coaching Career
2018-22: Nebraska, Assistant Coach (Defensive Backs)
2016-17: UCF, Assistant Coach (Defensive Backs)
2015: UCF, Assistant Coach (Cornerbacks)
2014: Southeast Missouri State, Assistant Coach (Cornerbacks)
2013: UCF, Defensive Quality Control Assistant